Woman Dies as a Result of Medication Error at Oregon Hospital

Posted on Dec 12, 2014 12:00am PST

A 65-year old woman died last week after being given the wrong medication
during an emergency room visit at a hospital in Oregon.

The woman had had brain surgery in Seattle in which a benign brain tumor
was successfully removed. She began experiencing anxiety and was concerned
about the medications she was taking post-surgery. She went to the emergency
room in Oregon, where doctors determined that she needed a medication
known as fosphenytoin, an anti-seizure medication administered intravenously.
However, she was mistakenly given rocuronium. This medication is used
during general anesthesia to relax the throat, and is a very strong paralyzing
agent that prevents communication between the nerves and muscles.

The rocuronium caused the woman to stop breathing and suffer a cardiac
arrest and subsequent loss of oxygen to the brain, causing a permanent
brain injury. She was placed on life support before being removed on December 3rd.

The hospital is investigating the error, and a spokesman for the hospital
has acknowledged that a medication error was made. The family of the woman
has not yet decided if they will file a medical malpractice suit.

Medical negligence claims the lives of more than 200,000 people every year
in the United States, according to a study in the Journal of Patient Safety.
This number may even be as high as 440,000. You can learn more about medication
errors and medical malpractice in our blog.

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